This week one of the largest sailing regattas of its kind, Cowes Week, kicks off for its 184th year. This year Cowes Week welcomes a number of new classes and has made several improvements to ensure that 2010 is the best regatta yet. At the close of entries the regatta looks to be in great shape with around 900 boats competing.

Changes for 2010
A number of changes have been made for this year's event as a result of feedback received from sailors, and in a bid to continue to make further improvements to this world renowned regatta:

This year, only the western start line will be used at the Royal Yacht Squadron (in contrast to having an eastern line as well in previous years). This will mean the start will be slightly further away from the harbour entrance, which will simplify the start process and ensure fairer starts.

There will now be the option for either the White Group or Black Group boats to finish on either the Royal Yacht Squadron or Shrape finish line. This will ultimately make course-setting for the White Group easier, especially if the western Solent is used for the dayboats. The last time the White Group finished on the Royal Yacht Squadron line was in 1979!

Starting signals will be accompanied by flags as well as radio announcements on all starting lines. In previous years, the Black Group only had radio signals which made it less straightforward for competitors to visualise what was happening, especially if there had been any postponements or changes which may have affected the starting schedule. Generally, navigation restrictions have been simplified and in many cases, old restrictions have been removed entirely.

The top three boats in each class will have a choice of a daily prize: a Cowes Week medallion as a memento or a voucher courtesy of our Official Technical Clothing Partner, Gill (£15 for a win, £10 for second, and £5 for third place).

Competitors who do not make a valid declaration before the time limit and do not respond to our attempts to contact them may be allowed, upon request, to complete a late declaration form with a penalty of 3% on their elapsed time.

As an experiment this year, and following feedback received from the 2009 event, limited short-term berthing will be provided on the outside of Trinity Landing, subject to space being available. This is limited to a maximum of three hours and costs £15 (no rafting allowed). This means that those not berthed in Cowes can come ashore for a few hours after racing to enjoy the all-important social side of Cowes Week.

New classes 2010 sees a number of class changes:

We are delighted to welcome the Longtze class to Cowes Week as part of its European tour circuit. This sportboat is the result of a design by Steve Thomson, a New Zealand naval architect, and was developed and readied by the America's Cup team 'Le Defi'. Produced in Qingdao, sailing venue for the 2008 Olympics, the boat benefits from technologies developed by 'Le Defi' for Longtze, the first Chinese America's Cup class yacht. Longtze Premier combines the excitement of sailing a dinghy with the security of a small keelboat. While we will only see 7 of these colourful boats in 2010, we anticipate rapid growth in the future.

The 707, 1720 and Sonata fleets have been merged into a single mixed dayboat class this year. They will be using the same class flag, the same starts, courses and finishes but will have separate one-design fleet results. This both shortens the start sequence and also reduces the potential shorten course resources that may be required.

Following feedback from previous years, the number of IRC classes has been increased by two to reduce the average fleet size; these have been calculated purely on rating although wherever possible, boat types have been kept together.

Cruisers will have two options to enjoy Cowes Week racing this year:
A non-spinnaker class for the whole week using IRC as the rating system A class for a single day of racing on the final Saturday using the free and simple Island Sailing Club Rating System.

In addition to the traditional Cowes Week fleets, a number of exciting associated events will add some extra sparkle, including:

The Extreme Sailing Series (Saturday 31 July - Thursday 5 August): Following the initial leg in Sète, France, Cowes Week will host the second part of this exciting competition where the Extreme 40s will go head-to-head in a series of sprint racing. This year's races will take place from 3pm on the first three days and then 5pm thereafter to ensure sailors and non-sailors alike are able to watch this spectacular event while enjoying the atmosphere at the Extreme Sailing Series race village.

The 1851 Cup (Tuesday 3 August - Friday 6 August): This trophy event is the brainchild of TEAMORIGIN, the British America's Cup sailing team who, with the support of their challenging yacht club, the Royal Thames Yacht Club, have invited the America's Cup holders, BMW ORACLE Racing, to Cowes this summer to compete in a match race tournament. Racing will take place late afternoon off Cowes on Tuesday 3, Wednesday 4 and Friday 6 August. On Thursday 5 August a race clockwise around the Island will take place over the historic original course that saw the birth of the America's Cup in 1851. The competition will be an incredible event involving some of the world's greatest sailors.

Artemis Challenge (Tuesday 3 August): The Artemis Challenge, now in its fourth year, sees a fleet of IMOCA 60s racing around the Isle of Wight raising money for good causes. Every year Artemis Investment Management donates a charity prize fund of £10,000 for the race, which goes to a charity of the winner's choice. Whilst the IMOCA 60 skippers are used to racing alone or with just one co-skipper, they will be joined for the Artemis Challenge by an experienced racing crew and some special celebrity guests.

The Artemis Challenge will start at 9.50am off the Royal Yacht Squadron on Tuesday 3 August.

How to keep up to date with what's happening on the water
Throughout Cowes Week stay tuned-in to Cowes Radio on 87.7FM for the latest commentary on what's happening out on the water, as well as news, entertainment, and of course the all-important results! This year will be particularly special as Cowes Radio celebrates their 25th birthday, broadcasting at Cowes Week.

In addition, EventTV, the official broadcast channel for Cowes Week, will be showing highlights of the racing action on screens throughout Cowes, together with a full classified results service and all the latest news, weather and racing information, live from Regatta HQ. EventTV is on-air 24 hours a day during the event, courtesy of Next Generation Results, Cowes Week's technology partner.

If you're following Cowes Week remotely, the official website at www.cowesweek.co.uk will provide you with the latest information around the clock.

Tom Burton (AUS) and Alison Young (GBR) hit the right note in the Laser and Laser Radial at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne as they took out the top honours and qualification spots to the 2015 ISAF Sailing World Cup Final.

It was double Australian gold in the Paralympic classes. Matt Bugg (AUS) came out on top in the 2.4mR whilst London 2012 Paralympic SKUD18 gold medallists Dan Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch (AUS) were triumphant in the two person keelboat.

Lithuania's Juozas Bernotas came out on top in the Men's RS:X whilst Russia's Stefania Elfutina was triumphant in the Women's RS:X. Both sailors claim the first Abu Dhabi ISAF Sailing World Cup Final spots whilst Jock Calvert (AUS) and Joanna Sterling (AUS) picked up the Oceanic spots for the Emirati finale.

There was some fast paced action in the 49er and 49erFX Medal Races at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne as Nathan Outteridge & Iain Jensen (AUS) and Maia & Ragna Agerup (NOR) claimed the honours and Abu Dhabi final spots.

A tight group of five young Papua New Guinean (PNG) Laser sailors are stepping up their 2015 Pacific Games competition program using this week's ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne. PNG is one of 33 countries represented at the important Oceanic event, the largest Olympic sailing regatta in the southern hemisphere.

Nicolai Sehested (DEN) and his TREFOR Match Racing Team clinched victory today at the Energa Sopot Match Race, Poland, the 10th stage and World Championship Event of the 2015 World Match Racing Tour (WMRT).

There was no stopping current, and five-time ISAF Match Racing World Champion Ian Williams (GBR), GAC Pindar today at the Energa Sopot Match Race as he swiftly dispatched his Quarter Final opponent Joachim Aschenbrenner (DEN) in three straight wins.

The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) continues to address concerns and is taking steps to ensure the health and safety of all athletes who will be competing in the upcoming Aquece Rio, Olympic Test Event and the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition.

Veteran Polish match racer and America's Cup helmsman Karol Jablonski skilfully played the gusty conditions today to lead the twelve strong field of teams at the end of Day 2 of Qualifying at the 2015 Energa Sopot Match Race.